How to find damage if the lights go out or power is lost in the sockets. Troubleshooting algorithm.

The primary task that needs to be determined at what point such a situation arose. Situation one - you turn on the light, but it does not light up.

This is a situation where YOU must be extremely careful to solve the problem, as this is the easiest way without the use of instruments, or an indicator and knowledge of electrical. If you are not sure, contact a specialist!

The first and important rule is how to find (find) damage if the light is out, or the outlet does not work.Always in all cases, before starting to look for a malfunction, you need to start by checking the voltage suitable for a particular device. That is, whether 220 volts comes.

1. This moment is considered if there is only one lamp in the chandelier. First you need to check the light bulb. Then, if it is visually intact, try to twist a known working light bulb. It just happens that visually it can be intact, but it does not “ring out” with the device, that is, it is not working. So the light bulb is complete. If there are several light bulbs, and they all worked before, then the reason is not in the chandelier itself. Then further...

One of the most popular electrical wiring faults in an apartment is the appearance of the so-called second phase in the outlet. If the light in the rooms is gone, but all appliances are working, then you have become a victim of such a breakdown. Next, we will tell you what to do if there are two phases in the outlet, why this can happen and how to fix the damage yourself!

How does this happen?

In order for you to understand the cause of the malfunction, we will provide a visual:

As you understand, voltage is supplied through the phase wire and returns to zero. Now imagine what will happen if zero break occurs:

If you turn on the light switch, the voltage will pass through the filament or the switched on electrical appliance, go to the neutral wire, and so on. zeros are connected, will go to the outlet along the second circuit. Bottom line - when checking the voltage in the sockets of the socket with a probe, you will see two phases. If you have taken care of, there will be no danger to life, you just need to find a break in the neutral wire and restore contact. However, if the electrical wiring was grounded in the apartment, the consequences may not be the best.

The main causes of the problem

As you already understood, the reason for the appearance of two phases on the outlet is most often. Loss of contact can occur on the floor panel, at the entrance to the apartment, in one of the junction boxes, and even just in the wall.

If the wire burns out in the electrical panel, the lights will go out in the apartment, but the sockets will still work, but only when you turn on the electrical appliance or the lighting in the room. If you turn everything off and check the voltage at the outlet, you will see that there will be only one phase.

Another case is when a zero break occurs in a junction box in one of the rooms. In this case, the light will stop burning only in this room, in the rest everything will work as before. To solve the problem, you will need to open the junction box and restore.

Another common reason why there are two phases in the outlet is old wiring, in which plugs are screwed in instead of circuit breakers. If only one plug, zero, is knocked out, voltage will appear in two sockets. To prevent this from happening, we recommend replacing the electrical wiring in the apartment with a modern one - from.

Also, a situation often occurs when a break occurs directly in the wall due to your lack of professionalism. Before hanging a picture, it is necessary to find the electrical wiring in the wall so as not to damage it with a nail (including yourself). If you kill only the neutral conductor, two phases will appear in the sockets. This also includes damage to the wire by rodents, which can exist in the voids of the panels of apartment buildings. About that, we talked about in the corresponding article.

So, we told you why voltage may appear in two outlet sockets, how it happens and what to do to solve the problem. Now I would like to explain how to immediately understand that the wire N has been damaged and these are not both phases, but one that has flowed through the second power line.

The situation is understandable - the light in the apartment went out and you immediately decided with a probe. Noticing that the indicator shows the phase on two wires, you thought that these were two phase conductors in your electrical wiring. As we have already said, everything is far from being the case and you can verify this as follows:

Using a multimeter, check the voltage in the outlet, if it shows 0, then you have only one phase, flowing to the neutral conductor.

This is the surest way to determine the malfunction, because an indicator screwdriver is an extremely inaccurate test method. The indicator can work on a pickup and show the second phase, although in fact it will be one.

A small reminder-algorithm: "What to do if the light is turned off." Advice from a professional electrician, from simple to complex. How to solve the problem without tools and skills on your own, in order to save yourself the extra cost of calling an electrician (as soon as the language turned to write this? =)

What to do if the light is turned off, the electricity is gone?

First of all, do not panic, if you are not connected to an artificial respiration or heartbeat apparatus, then nothing seems to threaten you. People have always lived without light and have not become impudent. If you still need the light, make sure that it is turned off only in you, and not in the whole house! If the lights in the whole house turned off, then you yourself are unlikely to solve this issue, you need to cooperate with your neighbors and take action.

To begin with, it is best to understand what initially preceded the power outage. The most common option: turned on the switch, turned on the appliance, inserted something into the outlet, spilled water, something stank for a long time or started to stink. If this is the case, then first turn off the lights or appliances, eliminate the leak, turn off what caused the shutdown, find the source of the smell. Then look for machines.

Option number 1

Check circuit breakers. Circuit breakers are protective shutdown devices (automatic devices, traffic jams, RCDs, Diff.automatic devices, knife switches) that are located in the electrical panel in your apartment or entrance, and they turn off under certain conditions (overloads, leaks, short circuits). There are several types of slot machines and it is sometimes difficult for an inexperienced user to understand them. If you do not know what they look like and where they are, look at the pictures!

You found the machines, what to do next? How to understand where yours is, where not yours, whether it is on or off. With modern machines or RCDs, everything is clear - the toggle switch falls down on them (there are cases when the machines are installed upside down, carefully look at the inscriptions). Here you can easily calculate your machine in the shield. Gently, with one hand, without touching other wires and parts of the electrical panel, turn on the machine. Everything is fine? You can stop reading and like and repost the article.

How to properly turn on the machines. It is necessary to turn off all the machines (do not touch the neighbors), and turn them on in turn starting from the most important one, so you can calculate the problem line, leaving the problem machine turned off until the causes are eliminated. Leaving the light on other lines.
Option number 2: You have old black machine guns, how to understand where yours are? Usually, the machines in such shields are lined up in numerical order, in groups of two or three for each apartment. Old Soviet-style automata do not give out their "off" in any way, they must be overloaded, that is, turned off and on. Calculate where yours are, and safely turn off and on again! Problem solved? Likes, reposts, applause..

Option number 2.1

You have old black machines, turn off / on - nothing happens. Before turning off neighbor machines, make sure that the main switch is not turned off (see pictures). It must be turned clockwise by 90 degrees (Knife 1) or press the red button (Knife 2). Also, carefully, with one hand, without touching other elements in the shield. Has the issue been resolved? Know what to do

Option number 2.2

Turned off the neighbors. Don't be scared! Try to politely explain the situation and apologize. In most cases this helps. Click other machines and switches until the problem is solved, or other neighbors come out.

Option number 3.1

You are knocked out by a differential machine. On some diff. vending machines (see pictures) have a small button that must be pressed before turning on the device. Did it help? You are almost an electrician.

Option number 3.2

The RCD or the machine does not turn on (the toggle switch does not move to the “up” position). If cotton occurs, then this is characteristic of a short circuit. In the case of an RCD (current leakage), the diagnosis becomes more complicated several times. There is a possibility of failure of the RCD itself, replacing the device will solve your problem. And before you despair and invite an experienced electrician to your place, use advice #2.

Unplug all electrical appliances from outlets. Turn off all light switches, check the bulbs in the sockets, unscrew them. Inspect all outlets for water or burning, make sure you are not flooded from above. If you smell burning or smoke, look for the problem. Inspect the shield for burnt wires or melted circuit breakers. In cases of burning of insulation, automatic machines, smell from under the wallpaper, walls - it is better not to touch anything and wait for an electrician.

Option 5

Electrical wiring is a rather complex system with important features and nuances. Sometimes it gets seriously damaged. Two phases in an outlet is a good example. Consider what constitutes a malfunction, for what reasons it occurs, and how it is eliminated.

general information

The appearance of two phases is determined using special devices - voltage indicators and voltmeters.

In most apartments / houses, the wiring is hidden. As practice has shown, it is more vulnerable than that established in an open way. The latter will not be broken by accident if it is necessary to hang a picture or a carpet. Hidden wiring is more difficult. It is difficult to determine its location, because builders usually do not leave diagrams, and a device for such work is expensive.

Damage is different. Often, an apartment / house or some separate room is left without electricity. In cases where circuit breakers are installed that quickly eliminate short circuits, this is imperceptible. In their absence, the malfunction will manifest itself in the appearance of sparks and smoke.

If such damage can be prevented, damage to the junction box cannot be protected. There are several reasons for their appearance:

1. Poorly executed work on the connection of wires.
2. The junction oxidized and collapsed.
3. There was a connection of aluminum and copper wires. Under the influence of moisture, the wires oxidize, as a result of which a break occurs.

Such malfunctions are easily detected by the smell of burnt insulation.

Break of the neutral conductor

If there is a zero break, electrical appliances connected to the outlet will not work. Perhaps the voltage will disappear in other outlets.

If the breakdown occurred for this reason, then the solution is quite simple. It is enough to turn off the equipment from the network. What to do next:

1. Identify sockets without voltage. At this stage, a voltmeter, test load or indicator screwdriver will come in handy. Do not use a single-pole indicator - it is useless. It is forbidden to use an incandescent lamp as an indicator. If a voltage of 380 V is encountered, it may explode and cause injury.
2. Next you need to find the damaged part of the wiring.

If you cannot do the work yourself, you should contact an electrician.

Breakage of the neutral conductor with a short circuit to the phase

In the event of a break in the neutral wire with a short to phase, it is not enough just to turn off electrical appliances. The appearance of two phases will not eliminate this.

To correct the situation, you need to find the place where the wire was damaged. Using the indicator, you need to touch the metal parts in the walls. Search for a malfunction should be in the place where the phase is found.

Phase conductor break

If the indicator does not show anything in the outlet, a break in the so-called phase has occurred. It is easy to determine its location. It is necessary to check the presence of a phase in the junction boxes located between the electrical panel and the damaged socket.

Protection apparatus

Despite the presence of protective elements (RCD, circuit breakers), fuses are installed in many homes. If the fuse that is at “zero” has failed, the second phase will go to the sockets.

Correcting the situation is easy if you find the place of the circuit. It is necessary to turn off the light, unplug the appliances and install a new fuse. If it breaks, the breakage concerns the wiring. Otherwise, when the fuse is in order, the fault should be sought in the technique.

Now, instead of fuses, two-pole circuit breakers are installed. Two phases may also appear with them, but only if the device malfunctions or is installed incorrectly.

Mains faults

Another reason for the appearance of two phases in the outlet is a network breakdown. Most often this is a break in the neutral wire. It can break off anywhere, starting with a substation, ending with a shield in a multi-storey building. At the same time, electricity in the apartments will not disappear. In particularly difficult cases, the voltage will rise to 380 V, which will disable household appliances.

Two phases in the outlet also arise due to the short circuit of the phase / zero on the power line. This is a dangerous malfunction, because even RCDs do not always have time to respond. The result is a fire.

Only electricians should search for and eliminate faults in the supply network.

An overvoltage has occurred

Two phases also appear due to power surges (increase or decrease) in the network. This manifests itself in the blinking of light, too bright or, conversely, the dim glow of light bulbs. An increase is especially dangerous, because the equipment cannot work fully or burns out.

How to proceed:

1. Turn off the power supply for the apartment / house.
2. Disable technology.
3. Turn off the light (set the switches to the “off” position).
4. Call the electricians.

Why can't you act on your own? Firstly, the slightest inaccuracy in the work can lead to tragic consequences. Secondly, electricity is connected only after drawing up a malfunction report.

raw walls

Often two phases are a consequence of excess moisture. Damp walls can lead to short circuits. The neutral wire will either fall off or stick to the phase.

To eliminate the breakdown, it is necessary to find the location of the short circuit. Then you have to change the wires from the outlet to the switchboard. It is also important to get rid of dampness and prevent its further occurrence.

Induced current

This is a phenomenon that occurs when a high-voltage power line passes nearby. The sockets work fine, but the indicator detects two phases.

In such a situation, an experienced specialist may be confused, because the indicator will determine the voltage, even if there is no current in the sockets. A voltmeter or multimeter will show the real picture.

How many phases should be in the outlet? One, and if there are more, reasons may be wiring malfunctions (room and substation), high humidity of the walls, induced current. Regardless of the cause, a specialist should fix the problem.

During normal operation of the outlet, checking for voltage, the picture should look like this. When you touch the phase wire, a light alert should appear, and when you touch the zero, the indicator light should not light up.

But if the outlet does not work, and the indicator shows on the wires socket has two phases what to do and how can this be?

This phenomenon is quite common, usually in houses with old or poor-quality electrical wiring. Where do these come from two phase socket, let's look at the possible reasons for their appearance:

Burnt out neutral wire in the internal system electrical wiring

This is the most common reason. With no null connection the phase through the filament of light bulbs in the chandelier, or through electrical appliances plugged into other sockets with induced current, will also be present on the neutral wire. In this case, the socket in which there are two phases does not work. You can correctly diagnose this cause by turning off the electrical appliances included in them from all sockets by disconnecting the plugs from the sockets. Next, you need to turn all the switches to the off position. If you do not know in which position the switch is on and in which it is off, you can simply unscrew the bulbs from the chandeliers and lamps, the effect will be the same. After you have completed all the steps above, you need to check the voltage at the outlet again. You should get the following,the phase wire must be a phase, respectively, the indicator makes a light alert, and when you touch zero, the indicator light should not glow.In this case, the cause of the malfunction should begin to look for:

• in places recently hung on the wall paintings, photographs. As a rule, in 95% of cases, such housing tuning ends with a broken wire. In this case, you need to turn off the power supply of the apartment (turn off traffic jams, automatic machines, packet switches) and make sure that there is no voltage. Next, remove the layer of plaster and release the wire, visually diagnose the damage site and eliminate the malfunction by connecting the wires and insulating them. After carrying out all the work, turn on the voltage supply and check the performance of the outlet. After that, the damage site can be covered with plaster or gypsum mortar.
• if no work to update the design of housing before two phases appeared in the socket has not been carried out, a possible malfunction may be in the junction box. In this case, the search should begin with the junction boxes, which are located in the room where the outlet is located. We turn off the power supply of the apartment, remove the cover of the junction box, look for burnt, melted or fallen off wires. If there is no malfunction in this junction box, open the nearest one. After you have visually diagnosed the malfunction, we proceed to fix it. We make a new connection, isolate, close the cover of the junction box, turn on the power supply and check the performance of the outlet.
• in the electrical box. If you have access to the force shield, you can open it and visually view all contacts and connections. If you find melted wires, burnt contacts, fallen off from the places where the wires are connected, you should immediately contact the organization servicing this electrical panel to troubleshoot. Doing repairs yourself without removing the voltage is DANGEROUS TO LIFE.

An overvoltage has occurred

• Overvoltage is an increase or decrease in voltage values ​​from normal (220-230 volts) to high (360-380 volts) or vice versa low (40-80 volts). When an overvoltage occurs, at first the light may blink, then the bulbs begin to burn very brightly or very dimly.

The main danger is those cases when there is an increase in voltage (360-380 volts). Light bulbs begin to glow strongly, in some cases they even buzz, consumer electronics begin to smoke. Instantly react to increased voltage: computers, microwave ovens, electronic clocks, televisions, audio and video equipment. They burn out or start to work incorrectly.

At low voltage values ​​\u200b\u200b(40-80 volts), such significant damage to household appliances is not caused, because of the low voltage it simply does not turn on, and the lighting barely glows, so that you can see a barely glowing filament in the light bulb. The reason is very banal, somewhere along the wiring line from the substation to your meter, the neutral wire was damaged.

What happens during an overvoltage? In modern electrical networks, four-core cable lines are used. Three cores are used to transmit three independent phases, and the fourth for zero. When the neutral wire is damaged, the current, like water, instantly fills the free niche and rushes to where the smallest load is, as a result it turns out that two phases come along the phase wire and the zero instead of the prescribed 220 volts, so it turns out 380. Accordingly, since the current ran into a free niche with a small load, then where he escaped from, there remains a small voltage (40-80 volts) or nothing at all.

What to do?

• Need to quickly turn off the power supply of the apartment
• unplug all household appliances
• turn all switches to the off position.
• Call the electrical service personnel. Wait for the electrician team to eliminate the causes of overvoltage, then they make control measurements of the voltage, draw up an act, and only after that you can restore the power supply to your apartment again.

Induced current

The socket is working in normal mode, but when measured by the indicator, two phases are diagnosed. This phenomenon often occurs if there is a high-voltage power line near your house.

This is one of the most dangerous cases, since the induced voltage will be diagnosed by the indicator even when the power supply to the apartment is completely turned off, which can mislead even a professional in this matter. In this case, a voltmeter or multimeter will help, it will accurately show the presence or absence of voltage.

Triangle.

To transmit electricity between settlements, the voltage of the electrical network is increased many times over. This is done to reduce the current load of the network, in other words, with an increase in voltage, the current strength in power lines decreases.

For example, if the line-to-line voltage of the network (between phases) is 380 Volts when entering the ASU of residential buildings, then the voltage on high-voltage power lines can rise from 6,000 to 1,150,000 Volts.

A decrease to 380 Volts occurs inside the transformer substations, where a step-down current transformer is installed.

In electrics, there are two schemes for connecting the windings of step-down transformers "star" and "triangle". In most cases, in modern electrical networks for domestic needs, the "star" scheme is used, everything is standard here, there are 3 phases and zero (grounded neutral). Linear voltage \u003d 380 Volts (voltage between phases), and phase \u003d 220-240 Volts (between phase and zero, ground).

As a rule, a four-wire cable comes to the ASU, through which a voltage of 380 Volts is supplied, then it is divided into separate "zero + phase" lines, which come to the apartment. As a result, we get a mains voltage of 220-240 Volts at the outlet.

But in the "triangle" there is no zero, there are only three phases and that's it. A three-core cable comes to the ASP, through which a voltage of 380 volts is supplied.

Since in the triangle circuit the phase voltage \u003d linear, it is further divided into separate lines "phase + phase" and it is in this form that the voltage comes to residential apartments. That is, in such a network, there will be two phases on both contacts of the socket, while household electrical appliances will function properly in normal operation. The outlet will have a voltage of 380 volts.

It is worth noting that the triangle scheme in modern networks is less and less common, in most cases in areas of cities and villages of the old housing stock.